Ore concentrating machine



May 23, 1933. A. GARRETT ORE GONCENTRATING MACHINE i Patented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATES -PATENr ori-rica ALVA GARRETT, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNIE ASSIGN- MENTS, OF FORTY PER CENT T0 DENVER EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF DENVER, COLO- RADO, A CORPORATION 0F COLORADO, AND FIFTY PER CENT TO JAMES LIVA, OF

NEVADA CITY, CALIFORNIA can coNcnNTnATme MACHINE This invention relates to an ore concentrating machine more particularly to the type of machine employed for concentrating ores by the otation process, it is, however, not limited to this specific use.

Flotation machines have been constructed with porous mediums in the bottoms thereof through which the air bubbles percolate. rlhis type of machine, however, has not been entirely satisfactory, for the reasons that the porous mediums become clogged with lime, slime, etc., so as to prevent the air from passing uniformly throughout the entire area of the medium. The clogging of the medium also acts to hold back a portion of the air and increase the velocity at other portions so that it is impossible to lniuutely regulate the air supply. Y

The principal object of this invention 1s to provide a structure in which a porous medium will be vibrated so as'to preventdeposits which would act to clog the pores thereof and so as to cause the bed to distribute evenly over the medium.

` Another object of the invention is to provide a novel porous medium the interstices of which will be formed by loosely contacting elements, such as a bed of shot, so that cloging thereof will be eliminated. i

A furtherv object of the invention resides in the combining of a vibrating motion with the loosely formed porous bed so that the elements of the bed will be constantly vibrated to prevent clogging or packing of material in the voids.

A still further object of the invention is to combine in a single machine/the functions of a flotation machine and a jig, thus allowing a classification of the ore to be made simultaneously with the flotation of the finer mineral particles.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and eiliciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the inventionreference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views .of the drawing and throughout the description.

1n the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a. longitudinal section through a typical machine embodying the features of this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail cross section therethrough taken on the line 2#2, Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is a. detail view illustrating an a ternate method of constructing the porous medium or bed.

The invention broadly consists in vibrating any porous medium through which air percolates under the solution of a flotation cell. lThis vibration could be imparted to the ordinary fabric air bottoms by pulsating the air slightly or by mechanically or electrically vibrating the fabric or the entire cell. .Any of these methods would be within the spirit of this invention.

A construction embodying this princi le is illustrated in the drawing in which a re atively long tank is illustrated at 10 with its bottom preferably formed in a series of hutches 11. immediately above the hutches 11 the tank is divided into a series of cells by means of relatively low partitions 12 which terminate well below the liquid surface.

A series of vibrating shafts 13 extend downwardly into the tank 10, there being one shaft for each cell or hutch.

Each of the shafts 13 terminates in a perforated plate 14. A bed l5 of loose, uniform particles, such as pebbles or shot, is supported by the perforated plate 14, preferably within a screen enclosure 16. The screen enclosure 16 serves only to hold the bed in place and need only have a mesh finer than the size of the particles used in the bed. A rubber gasket 17 is secured to the screen enclosure 16 and extends outwardly into slidable contact with the tank walls and the partitions l2.

The shafts 13 may be vibrated in any desired manner such as through the medium of cranks, eccentrics, cams, etc. It is preerred, however, to vibrate them by means of electromagnet vibrators 18 of the type employed on what is known in the art as hummer screens. This type of electro-magnet vibrator is provided with an adjusting wheel 19'by means of which a very fine adjustment of the vibration magnitude may be obtained.

n The ore is fed to the tank 10 in any suitable manner such as by means of a feed chute 20 and the froth flows over a froth lip 231 into a froth launder 22 as in the usual machine. The residual pulp, gangue, and solution overflow at 23 protected by a froth guard 24 according to common practice. Air is fed in any desired manner into the tank below the porous beds 15, such as from an air header 25 having independent feed taps 26 to each cell controlled by means of independent valves 27.

In operation, the air percolates upwardly through thevoids or interstices between the line particles in the bed 15. This acts to break the air into small bubbles which rise to the surface of the solution in the tank carrying the liner mineral particles with them. These particles are removed as a froth into the froth launder 22.

The constant vibration prevents the gangue, lime or other materials from packing between the particles in the pad 15. This vibration will immediately loosen any deposits allowing the lighter to rise into the solution and overflow at 23 and causing the heavier to fall through the perforated plates 15 into the hutch bottoms 11, from which, they can be removed through clean-out gates 28 as is usual' in jig practice. The constant vibration of the porous beds spreads the mineral layer evenly and uniformly throughout the tank bottom and prevents piling at the feed points.

Thus, it will be seen that in addition to the recovery by flotation a classification of the pulp is also made so that the heavier mineral particles which have not been floated are recovered in the hutch bottoms and substantially clean tailings discharged at 23.

If desired, the air can be closed to the first cells of the series allowing their jigs to classify the material content while the remaining portion can be caused to act as flotation cells so as to' recover the values from that portion of the classified mineral remaining in suspension.

In thel form thus far described, the entire porous b ed vibrates uniformly throughout its area since .it is unattached to the tank or partitions at any point. Another form is illustrated in Fig. 3 in which a bottom screen 29 supports a porous bed of loose particles such as pebbles or shot 30 and a top screen 31 covers the bed to prevent it from being accidentally destroyed in cleaning out the cell.

Both the bottom and top screens 29 and 31 are brought upwardly and secured under a cleat 32 to the cell walls. The bottom screen 29 is vibrated by means of a vibrating tube `33. In this form of the invention the central part of the bed receives the greatest vibration. The screens are protected at their bend- 1 and prevents a sharp bend in the screens at this point.

An alternate method of supplying the alr below the porous bed is illustrated in Fig. 3

in which the air passes downwardly through the bed within the hollow Vibrating tube 33.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed -and desired secured by Letters Patent is y j 1. An ore concentrating machine comprising: a relatively long tank; a series of relatively low partitions extending laterally of said tank below the liquid surface and dividing the lower portion of said tank into a series of cells; hopper-shaped bottoms formed in each of said cells; a vertical vibrating shaft extending downwardly substantially along the vertical center line of each `of said cells; means for independently vertically vibrating each of said shafts; a perforated plate supported by said shafts in each of said cells said plate terminating in close proximity to the `adjacent partitions and tank walls, said partitions increasing in height successively throughout the length of said tank and said perforated plates being arranged successively at higher elevations throughout the length of said tank.

2. An ore concentrating machine comprising: a relatively long tank; a series of relatively low partitions extendinglaterally 0f said tank below the liquid surface and dividing the lower portion of said tank into a series of cells; hopper-shaped bottoms formed in each of said cells; a vertical vibrating shaft extending downwardly substantiall along the vertical center line of each of said cells; means for independently vertically vibrating each of said shafts; a perforated plate supported by said shafts in each of said cells said plate terminating in close proximity to the adjacent partitions and tank walls; a screen enclosure carried by each of said perforatedA plates; a bed of loose particles contained within said screen enclosure and arranged to vibrate vertically in each of said cells.

3. An ore concentrating 'machine comprising: a relatively long` tank; a series of relatively low partitions extending laterally of said tank below the liquid surface and dividing the lower portion of said tank linto a series of cells: hopper-shaped bottoms formed in each of said cells; a vertical vibrating shaft extending downwardly substantiallv along the vertical center line of each of said cells; means for independently vertically vibrating each of said shafts; a

perforated plate supported by said shafts in each of said cells, said plate terminating in close proximity to the adjacent partitions and tank walls; a screen enclosure carried by each of said perforated plates; a bed of loose particles contained within said screen enclosure and arranged to vibrate vertically in each of said cells; and means for preventing solution from passing between said bed and the cell walls.

4. An ore concentrating machine comprising: a relatively long tank; a series of relatively low partitions extending'laterallv of said tank below the liquid surface and dividing the lower portion of said tank into a series of cells; hopper-shaped bottoms formed in each of said cells; a vertical vibrating shaft extending downwardly substantially along the vertical center line of 'each of said cells; means for independently vertically vibrating each of said shafts; a perforated plate supported by said shafts-in each of said cells said plate terminatin in close proximity to the adjacent partitlons and tank walls: a screen enclosure carried by each of said perforated plates; a bed of loose particles contained within said screen enclosure and arranged to vibrate vertically in each of said cells; and means for preventing solution from passing between said bed and the cell walls, said means comprising: a l'lexible gasket member secured to said screen enclosure and extending outwardly into sldable contact with the cell walls.

5. An ore concentrating machine comprising: a relatively long tank; a series of lateral partitions extending across said tank below the liquid surface therein so as to divide the lower portion of said tank into a series of cells; a horizontal porous medium forming a sub-bottom in each of said cells; 4means for mechanically vibrating said porous medium; said partitions increasing in height successively throughout the length of said tank;

cessively at higher elevations throughout the length of said tank.

6. An ore concentrating machine comprising: a relatively long tank; a series of lateral partitions extending across said tank below the liquid surface therein so as to divide the mechanically vibrating said porous medium; and a bed of loose particles supported upon said porous medium and extending from wall i `for vertically vibrating said shafts; a perforated medium supported by said shafts in each of said cells, said medium terminating in close proximity to the adjacent partitions and tankI walls; a bed of loose particles supported by said medium and extending from wall to wall of each and arranged to vibrate vertically in each of said cells.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature.

ALVA GARRETT.

p and said porous mediums being arrangedsuc- 

